4 Best Milk Frothers of 2026, Tested and Reviewed
We tested countertop and handheld models to find the best milk frothers.
Tested by Regina Ragone
There are so many ways to create your favorite coffeehouse drink just using a milk frother. Imagine not having to wait in line to get your creamy latte or frothy cappuccino because you can make it yourself. In order to figure out what the best milk frother is for you, the first thing is to decide what type of drink you will be using your foam in. Then, you'll need to think about whether you like your drink iced or hot. Finally, different types of milks perform differently in each kind of milk frother, so if you opt for non-dairy milk or skim, that's another thing to consider. We tested top-rated milk frothers on the market to find the best milk frothers for coffee drinks, hot chocolate and more.
Our Top Milk Frother Picks
Regina Ragone
How We Tested
We filled our refrigerators with lots of whole, low-fat and almond milk to test 12 milk frothers (six countertop and six handheld) to get to our top five. Each frother was tested with 1/2 cup whole, low-fat and almond milk on both hot and cold settings. When testing the hot setting, we noted how hot the milk got and how long it took to get there. We also took note of how much foam was made and how well that foam held up. We also looked at how easy they were to operate and clean.
These are the best milk frothers we tested.
This article has been reviewed since its original publish date for accuracy, pricing and availability. We removed our previous pick for Best Large Capacity: Capresso Froth Max Milk Frother after it became unavailable. We stand by our list of top milk frother picks.
- Easy to pour
- Affordable
- Multiple settings
- Warming without foam setting doesn't warm enough
If you want the ability to make all kinds of foam plus steamed milk, the Instant Milk Frother is a good fit. This compact machine, from the company that brought us the Instapot, has a four-in-one program for cold foam, light warm foam, thick warm foam and warming without foaming. The first setting creates a silky microfoam (lots of tiny bubbles), perfect for your iced cappuccino or as a topping for a cold brew. The next two settings are a warm foam for a café au lait or latte and a warm, thick foam to crown your cappuccino. The fourth setting is just for warm, no foam, steamed milk that can be used as is, or for hot chocolate. We didn't find the last setting warm enough to make a perfect hot chocolate without slipping it into the microwave to heat for another 30 seconds. All of the settings worked equally well with dairy and almond milk. We loved the spout because it made pouring easy, but you could also use it to create latte art to impress your guests.
- Capacity 10 ounces
- Type Automatic
- Heating Yes
- Weight 1.7 pounds
- Dimensions 6.2" x 4.7" x 8.25"
- Settings Cold foam, light warm foam, thick warm foam, warming without foaming
- Quick and consistent heating
- Includes two attachments for lattes and cappuccinos
- Large capacity
- Expensive
If getting the best of whatever you purchase is how you shop, then the Breville Milk Cafe Electric Frother is a no-brainer. This frother towers above the others in looks and capacity. An induction heating system allows it to reach temperature rapidly, efficiently and consistently every time. There is a variable temperature dial and a "cold stir" setting. The latte frothing disk creates a smooth and silky milk froth while the cappuccino disk makes a thick and creamy froth. You can make hot chocolate for several people at a time by simply adding chocolate powder to the warming milk. The stainless-steel jug can also be placed in the dishwasher for easy cleaning. This machine will give you everything you want but costs more than any of the others tested.
- Capacity 25 ounces
- Type Automatic
- Heating Yes
- Weight 3.6 pounds
- Dimensions 6.5" x 6" x 10.25"
- Settings Cold stir, warm, optimum milk temp, hot
- Comfortable handle
- Easy to store when not in use
- Lightweight
- Runs on batteries that aren't included
Although you can't compare it to a countertop model, except in price, the Rösle Stainless Steel Dual Speed Frother is the next best thing. It has two handy speeds: fast for frothing milk and slow for emulsifying vinaigrettes (which is fantastic for those of us who make our own dressing). If you want your froth hot you'll need to heat your dairy or almond milk first. Whole milk, either hot or cold, whipped up a thick foam to three or four times its original volume in under two minutes. Almond milk, on the other hand, just whipped into a froth, but its bubbles maintained shape for quite a few minutes. This light but sturdy frother costs as much as some countertop models so one of the benefits is that you can store it in a drawer.
- Type Handheld
- Heating No
- Weight 0.23 pounds
- Dimensions 1.5" x 10.5"
- Settings Fast and slow
- Quick and quite operation
- Shuts off automatically when done
- Only makes four ounces of foam at a time
If you want your foam fast and with no fuss, the Nespresso Aeroccino 3 is a good bet. Push the button once for hot milk or froth and hold for three seconds for cold. It even lights up red vs. blue so you know which type you are making. This sleek machine is so quiet no one will hear you making them a delicious cappuccino in under two minutes. We like that the machine shuts off automatically when done. The type of foam created is more frothy than creamy, and almond milk did not foam as well as dairy milk. The Aeroccino only makes four ounces of foam at a time but it will make up to eight ounces of hot milk.
- Capacity 8 ounces if heating, 4 ounces if frothing
- Type Automatic
- Heating Yes
- Weight 1.9 pounds
- Dimensions 3.9" x 3.9" x 7.2"
- Settings Hot milk, hot milk froth, cold milk froth
What to Know About Milk Frothers
Frothers come in two basic models: countertop and handheld. For frothers unattached to an espresso machine, you can find electric or battery-operated countertop and handheld models. Countertop models can heat the milk as you froth, however, handheld models can only foam milk after you’ve warmed it in the microwave, for example. The best way to create the same type of foam you get at a coffee bar is a countertop frother, but we’ve shared our favorite hand-held model if you decide to go that route.
Regina Ragone
The best milk frother for you depends on what you want to drink. Scientific explanations aside, think of foam like shave cream and froth like a Mr. Bubbles bubble bath. If you love cappuccinos, you’ll need a machine that yields one-part airy foam on top of one part steamed milk. For a latte, you’ll need a silky, looser foam that is more pourable and mixes more easily with the espresso.
Not all milk is created equal. Whole dairy milk tends to perform the best with most milk frothers because of the higher fat content. However, many of our top picks can also froth reduced-fat milk well. In terms of non-dairy milk, oat tends to perform best in countertop frothers; while almond milk can be a bit too watery to foam up well. We used almond milk as our non-dairy milk test to really find the top-performing milk frothers.
Foam can be hot or cold. If you swear by iced lattes, you’ll want a frother that can make hot or cold foam. Most handheld frother sticks are ideal for a quick cold foam.
What about hot chocolate? You can use a milk frother for more than just coffee. Larger countertop models can make creamy hot cocoa, silky matcha (although this method is completely untraditional), and even steamers (steamed milk with flavor).
Regina Ragone
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